(bm)WHAT IS UNIX? 
UNIX is an operating system language that allows a user to navigate and maintain files and directories.

This set of basic UNIX commands follows the following format:
-> Command Name
-> Command Syntax (Do not include the [brackets] in your statement at the unix prompt, which might look like this: nevada%)
-> Command Description

Some commands have flags, or options, that expand the basic function of the command. These flags, or options, are denoted with a "-" in front of the flag, such as 'man -k [command]'. The -k is the flag, or an option for the 'man' command.

For more information on any of the below commands you can type 'man [command name]' at your UNIX prompt.

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Commands in aplhabetical order

(bm) | (Pipe):
Type [command] | [command] 
Pipes, or runs the information accessed with the first command into the second command. A good use for this when viewing large directories. You can type ls [directoryname] | more

(bm) cat (Concatenate Files):
Type cat [filename]
Views the contents of a file (like more,less) 

 Type cat [filename] >> [filename]
 Merges specified files and writes 
 them to one file. 

 Type cat >> [filename]
 Adds information to a current 
 filename.

(bm) cd (Change Directory): 
Type cd [directory]
Changes from the current directory to the new specified directory.
 
 cd <no directory>
 Type cd
 This will return you to your home 
 directory.

 cd ..
 Type cd ..
 This moves your current directory 
 on level up (or back).

 cd ~/stuff/1998
 This moves you to a subdirectory 
 within your home directory.

(bm) compress (Compress Files): 
Type compress [filename] 
Compresses a file into a smaller size and appends a ".Z" to the file name.

Cp (Copy Files): 
Type cp [filename] [newfilename] 
Copies the contents of one file into a new file or directory. 

(bm) finger (Find Information On User): 
Type finger [username] 
Returns information about a user with an account on the system: user name, full name, terminal, terminal access, and time of login. Finger also displays the users profile and project files

(bm) grep (Search Files): 
Type grep -i "[data]" [filename] 
Searches for patterns or expressions in a file or multiple files within a directory, displaying the results of the search.

(bm) ln (Link Files):
Type ln [originalfile] [newlinkfile]
Links two or more files. Allows the same file to be accessed under a new name. This is like creating an 'alias' on Macintosh file system.

 -f:
 Type ln -f [originalfile] [newlinkfile]
 Does overwrite an existing filename.

 -s:
 Type ln -s [originalfile] [newlinkfile]
 Creates a symbolic link that allows 
 the linked file to be accessed 
 accross file systems.

(bm) Is (List Files): 
Type ls 
Lists the contents of a specified or current directory, excluding the hidden files.

 -a:
 Type ls -a 
 Type ls -a Will list all contents of the 
 directory including hidden files. 

 -s: 
 Type ls -s 
 Will list the size of the files or 
 directories before the name in 
 kilobytes. 

 -t: 
 Type ls -t
 Will list all contents of the directory 
 from most-recently modified to 
 last modified.

(bm) logout (Exit Shell): 
Type logout 
Will close the current session window, and perhaps your entire connection.

(bm) man (Manual Pages): 
Type man [command name] 
Will display on-line manual pages for the command word specified.

 -k 
 Type man -k [keyword] 
 Will search the on-line manual pages 
 by the keyword specified.

(Bm) mesg (Enable/Disable Messages):
Grants or denies permission to other users to send you messages from either the write or talk commands.

 -y
 Type mesg -y
 Grants permission.

 -n
 Type mesg -n
 Denies permission.

(bm) more (Display File): 
Type more [filename] 
Allows the user to view a large document on screen by page. At the
end of the page a --MORE-- prompt will appear. Press the space bar to continue or [ q ] to quit.

(bm) mv (Move File/Directory): 
Type mv [filename] [newfilename] 
Moves a file or multiple files into another directory or to a new name in the current directory.

(bm) mkdir (Make Directory): 
Type mkdir [directoryname] 
Creates a new directory or directories in the current directory. 

(bm) passwd (Change Password):
Type: passwd
Instructs the UNIX machine to set a users password.

(bm) pl (Print Local): 
Type pl [filename] 
Instructs the UNIX machine to print a specific file to a locally attached printer.

(bm) pwd (Print Working Directory): 
Type pwd 
Displays the name of the current directory the user is located in.

(bm) quota (Show User's Disk Allowance): 
Type quota 
Displays the current available disk, the total amount of disk space, the maximum amount of disk space that is allowed to be used, and the grace period if quota is exceeded.

(bm) rm (Remove File): 
Type rm [filename] 
Removes a file in the users personal account, or a file where the user has write permission. 

 -r: 
 Type rm -r [directory] 
 Removes a directory and its 
 contents where the user has 
 write permission. 

(bm) rmdir (Remove Directory): 
Type rmdir [directory] 
Removes an empty directory. 

 -f: 
 Type rm -f [file/directory] 
 Forces the removal of a file
 or directory without prompt.

 -r: 
 Type rm -r [directory] 
 Removes a directory and its 
 contents where the user has 
 write permission.

(Bm) spell (Check Spelling):
Type: spell [filename]
Returns incorrectly spelled words in a file.

 -b
 Type spell -b [filename]
 Checks for spelling based on 
 British usage.

(bm) talk (Talk To Other User):
Type talk [username]
Splits screen so you can have a conversation with another user currently logged into the system.

(bm) telnet (Remote Login):
Type telenet [systemhostname]
Allows remote login to another computer using the Telenet protocol.

(bm) uncompress (Uncompress File): 
Type uncompress [filename] 
Uncompresses a compressed file (usually a file with ".Z" appended to it).

(bm) wc (Word Count):
Type wc [filenames]
Counts the number of words, characters, and lines in a text file(s). The output is disaplyed as: <number of lines><words><characters>.

 -c
 Type wc -c
 Displays only the number of 
 characters.

 -l
 Type wc -l
 Displays only the number of lines.

 b
 Type wc b
 Displays only the number of words.

(bm) write (Write To User):
Type write [username]
Sends a text message to a user. Use CTRL-D to exit.

(bm) who (Display Current Users): 
Type who 
Displays username and status about the users currently logged on the system.

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(bm) More Reading Materials

UNIX in Plain English
MIS PRESS, ISBN 1-55828-345-5
Kevin Reichard & Eric F. Johnson

TEACH YOURSELF UNIX ... Third edition
MIS PRESS, ISBN 1-55828-418-4
Kevin Reichard & Eric F. Johnson

UNIX System Administration Handbook
PTR Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-933441-6
Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder & Scott Seebass

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